Knitting machine provided with independently adjustable thread-guide element



R. G. BASSIST OVI ADJUSTABLE T Jan. 22, 1963 3,074,259 KNITTING MACHINE PR DED WITH INDEPENDENTLY HREAD-GUIDE ELEMENT Filed Aug. 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 KKK KK K 6? KKKK K KKK KK u KK K KK (K (/Kf/K/ Q K VKWKKKKKKK KK KKKK KKK K Et Wk KK K K Y o KKK K w w //Kd/M INVENTOR.

RUAOLP 6. 811.55/67 ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1963 R. G. BASSIST 3,074,259 KNITTING MACHINE PROVIDED WITH INDEPENDENTLY ADJUSTABLE THREAD-GUIDE ELEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

#00 OZ PH & BASS/5 7' ATTORNA'Y This invention broadly relates to the art of producing ornamental knitted fabrics and particularly to an improved method and means for producing such fabrics.

As is well known in the art, the usual operation of a knitting machine, whether a warp knitting machine or otherwise, is based on the cooperation of thread guide elements with corresponding knitting needles. There are usually employed knitting needles supported by and extending from mobile knitting needle bars adapted for reciprocating, substantially vertical movements.

In cooperation with the needle of such needle bars there are usually employed what are known as guide bars to which is removably attached a series of guide element holders, and from which holders depend fixedly secured or what are termed fixed thread guide elements. All of the fixed guide elements depending from a guide bar are aligned and move simultaneously and are caused to pass around and in the spaces between the needles. All of the guide bars in a knitting machine are usually actuate'd by pattern wheels and related instrumentalities, such as disclosed in Patent No. 2,334,058, dated November 9, I943. These combined actuating means for the guide bars are adapted to cause threads carried by the fixed guide elements to move about the vertically reciprocating needles to produce knitted fabrics of predetermined types or patterns, which may include ornamental stitch designs of either what is known as normal or ground stitch or lay-in stitch design. All of such knitted fabrics, including so-called ground stitch fabrics with or without ornamental normal or lay-in stitch designs, are presently produced by the employment of a substantially large number of guide bars carrying fixed thread guide elements. Some of such guide bars, with fixed, uniformly spaced and aligned thread-guiding elements, serve for producing normal or ground stitch knitted fabric, but for effecting ornamental stitch designs in such normal knitted fabric there is presently required the employment of additional guide bars provided with a number of fixedly held, variously spaced individual thread-guiding elements, their spacing corresponding to the ornamentation to be produced. The additional guide bars supporting said ornament-producing, thread-guiding elements are axially reciprocated along their longitudinal axes by individually designed and individually operated pattern wheels, in addition to the pattern Wheels for guide bars for producing normally knitted fabric. Thus in order to produce knitted frabrics with ornamental stitch designs on presentday types of machines, not only a large number of specific guide bars with fixed, especially positioned threadguiding elements are required, in addition to the usual number of guide bars with fixed, uniformly spaced, aligned thread-guiding elements for producing normal or ground stitch knitted fabric, but the provision of a substantial number of especially designed actuating instrumentalities including special pattern wheels for the specific guide bars becomes essential.

From the foregoing it becomes evident, that the heretofore employed method and devices for producing ornamental stitch designs in normal fabric require a rather substantial mechanical equipment, in addition to the machinery for producing normal knitted fabric. Such additional equipment is not only costly, but also necessitates 3,@7d,25% Patented Jan. 22, 1963 the provision of adequate power and space for its operation.

The present invention contemplates producing ornamental stitch designs in knitted fabrics of either the normal or ground stitch type, or of the lay-in type, by an entirely new, far more economical method, that is by the use of a greatly reduced number of guide bars and their required actuating means, wherein some of the formerly employed fixed thread guide elements in a guide bar are effectively replaced by what will be known as mobile thread guide elements. These mobile thread guide elements are mounted on a guide bar Which reciprocates axially in its usual way, i.e., in the direction of its longitudinal axis, and are individually controlled so as to be selectively movable relative to and longitudinally of said bar.

By the reduction of the number of guide bars and their res ective actuating means a substantial reduction in space, operational expenditure and initial investment is effected.

The prime object of this invention is an improved method of and improved means for producing ornamental stitch designs in knitted fabrics at a substantial saving over heretofore employed methods of and means for effecting the same or similar results, with greater elficiency and less mechanical equipment.

An additional object of the present invention is the provision of mobile thread guide elements operatively associated with normally operative, axially reciprocating guide bars, and the provision of means for automatically shifting the position of each mobile thread guide element relative to the guide bar with which it is associated, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said guide bar.

The foregoing and still further objects and additional advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which latter are presented in a purely diagrammatical form to serve for explanatory purposes only without any intent to restrict this invention to the structures illustrated, and wherein:

MG. 1 is a fragmental diagrammatic front elevation of a portion of a knitting machine disclosing in the foreground a guide bar carrying mobile thread guide elements;

PEG. 2 is an enlarged fragmental front elevation of a portion of the guide bar supporting one of the mobile guide elements;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken approximately along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged detail front elevation of a guide bar with a modified form of a mobile guide element;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal enlarged section taken approximately along lines 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an enlarged portion of a knitted fabric as produced on heretofore used knitting machines, and which fabric illustrates what is known as normal or ground stitch knitting method, whereby both the fabric base as well as the ornamental stitch design indicated are produced; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an enlarged portion of a knitted fabric produced in accordance with the present method and showing a fabric base of normal or ground stitches, and which fabric base discloses an ornamentation stitch design known as lay-in stitching.

The fragmental illustration in FIG. 1 discloses a guide bar it) for supporting mobile guide elements. It is presumed that either in front or rear or both in front and the rear of bar it) are disposed additional guide bars of the heretofore used types with depending, uniformly spaced, aligned fixed guide elements, such as indicated at 11, and that beneath all of the guide bars, including guide bar It there is arranged a needle bar, in the usual manner, as indicated at 12, and which needle bar supports 3 exchangeable needle bar holders 13, from which needles 14 extend upwardly.

The usual type of guide bars from which depend fixedly held guide elements 11, are designed to be operated by means of the usual type of pattern wheels indicated at {flange there is an extension 18 and at the bottom of body 16 there is provided a ledge 19. Supported by ledge 19 are individual, box-like holders 20 for mobile elements 21. These box-like element holders are open on top and bottom and are provided with upper and lower guide rails 22, 23, respectively. Guided by these rails within box-like structure 20 is a block member 24 provided with a. thru passage 25 for accommodating leaf spring 26 secured to extension 18. Depending from block 24 is one of the aforementioned mobile guide elements 21. Boxlike holder 20 has an attaching flange or lip 26' for removably securing the holder to guide bar 10 by means of screw-fastened strips 20".

Movable within box-like structure 20 and engaging a guide groove 24' provided in block 24 (FIG. is wedge element 27 from which extends upwardly actuating member 28, which latter is reciprocatingly mounted in upper flange 17. About actuating member 28 is disposed compression spring 29 which bears with its upper end against the bottom face of flange 17 and with its lower end against wedge element 27. The spring is adapted to normally urge wedge element 27 in downward direction and against block member 24. The upper end of actuating member 28 terminates in an eye 39 to which is connected a cord or wire 31 passing over a series of pulleys 32 and 33, to double arm lever 34 (FIG. 1). This lever is intended to be periodically actuated by extensions 35 mounted on a sprocket chain 36 in engagement with a sprocket wheel 37. The wheel or wheels 37, like the patternwheels 15, are driven continuously by the drive shaft of the knitting machine. By means of the sprocket chain extensions 35, which can be of different heights, a series of levers 34 can be operated to eifect different movements. A series of pull wires or cords 31 then move a number of actuating members 28 and thus a number of wedge elements 27 to any desired position in respect to box-like mobile guide element holders 20'. By a suitable distribution of sprocket chain extensions 35 along sprocket chain 36, any desired periodical positioning of the mobile guide elements 21 can be effected to produce any desired ornamental stitching.

Inasmuch as leaf springs 26 engaging blocks 24 are adapted to urge these blocks and thus mobile elements 21 towards the right-hand end of holders 20, the downward movements of wedge elements 27 are intended to move blocks 24, and thus guide elements 21, towards the opposite or other closed end of box holders 20. The desired positioning of the mobile guide elements, therefore, is effected by the corresponding positioning of wedge elements 27.

While in connection with FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the movement of wedge element 27 is indicated to be effected by means of cords or wires 31 and sprocket chain extensions or projections 35, a modified operating structure for wedge elements 27 is shown in FIG. 4. There is again illustrated guide bar with an upper flange 17, extension 13 for holding spring 26 and a bottom ledge 19 for supporting an element holder of a structure and arrangement similar to that shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. There is disclosed also a wedge element 27' from which extends an actuating member 28 provided with a compression spring 29", but which actuating member extends substantially above flange 17 into a solenoid 38 which is adapted, when energized, to effect movements of wedge elements 27' in the manner similar to that explained in connection with FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. Obviously any other means of positioning mobile thread guide element 21 in respect to its holder 20 can be substituted for either of the presently disclosed types of instrumentalities described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive.

When an electro-magnetic instrumentality is employed for automatically actuating mobile thread guide element 21 in guide bar 10, a cumbersome arrangement of levers or other movement-transmitting devices for actuating element 21 is obviated, since solenoid 38 can be energized remotely and independently from guide bar 10 and its movements.

The actuations of the individual mobile thread guide elements 21 by sprocket chain extensions as indicated at 35 in FIGURE 1, or by solenoids as indicated at 38 in FIGURE 4, or by whatever equivalent means is employed, take place simultaneously with the longitudinal actuations of the guide bar or bars by the pattern wheel or wheels 15.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, in both illustrations is shown a fabric base composed of uniform rows of normal or ground stitches denoted at 39. Such fabric base can be produced by knitting machines equipped with a plurality of heretofore used guide bars carrying fixed thread guide elements.

The ornamental stitch design seen in FIG. 6 in heavy lines marked at 40 and 41 is also produced by such heretofore equipped knitting machines, and that ornamental stitch design is also of the normal or ground stitch type,

but is produced by specific movements of guide bars in addition to the guide bars for producing normal stitches.

The movement of such additional guide bars is produced The additional by specifically designed pattern Wheels. guide bars for producing such ornamental stitch designs '(40, 41) carry either a single fixed guide element or a few fixed but spaced guide elements. In other words, instead of an entire set of guide elements, as seen in FIG. 1 at 11, only specifically positioned single guide elements are carried by each additional special guide bar, whose movement is controlled by a special pattern wheel.

Thus in order to produce ornamental stitches 40, one special guide bar with specially positioned fixed guide elements and operated by a special pattern wheel must be employed. For producing ornamental stitches 41, another special guide bar with its specially positioned fixed guide elements and operated by another special pattern wheel is required.

Thus in addition to the necessary number of guide bars with a plurality of fixed guide elements 11 (see FIG. 1) for producing the base fabric stitches 39, at least two additional guide bars and their pattern wheels are required to produce normal ornamental stitches 40 and 41.

According to the present method, such ornamental stitches 4t and 41 can be produced by the use of a single guide bar equipped with mobile guide elements 21, which latter are individually shiftable relative to the guide bar in the direction of its longitudinal axis.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the base fabric produced by normal or ground stitches 39 is shown ornamented by what is known as lay-in stitching 42, 43, 43, constituting a stitch formation which passes between the loops in ground stitches 39 formed around the knitting needles. In order to effect such lay-in stitch design by heretofore used knitting machines, a substantial number of guide bars with fixed guide elements must be employed in addition to those guide bars which produce ground or normal stitches 39. In accordance with the present inven tion, only a single guide bar with mobile guide elements is required to produce the same kind of ornamental layin stitching. Moreover, by the use of mobile guide elements design changes in such ornamental lay-in stitching can be readily effected by a simple adjustment and different positioning of the mobile guide elements, while the guide bar carrying them can continue to be operated by its pattern wheel.

It will be noted that in providing ornamental stitch designs in normally knitted fabrics produced by ground stitches 39, the guide elements carrying either threads 40, 41 or 42, 43 and 3-3 must move partly substantially transversely to and partly in the direction of progress of a fabric knit composed of normal or ground stitches 39.

In the case of ornamental stitching 4t}, 41 of FIG. 6 when produced by two guide bars with fixed thread guide elements, such transverse movement is effected by the bodily movement of both bars actuated by their respective pattern wheels. When on the other hand, a single bar with mobile guide elements is used, the ornamental stitch formation is effected by the simple positioning of its mobile guide elements.

The same procedure applies in connection with the lay-in" stitch ornamentation seen in FIG. 7, but at a still greater saving in required mechanization, since instead of three guide bars with fixed guide elements employed in heretofore used knitting machines, only a single guide bar with mobile guide elements is substituted, in accordance with the present invention.

As indicated, the mechanical arrangement of the instrumentalities for producing ornamental stitch designs of either the normal or lay-in types in uniformly knitted fabrics may take any suitable structural form. The main feature involved in the present invention is the use of mobile, individually adjustable guide elements and means for periodically positioning them in respect to their holders on suitable guide bars to which latter desired movements by a pattern wheel can be imparted if desired or if advantageous, and wherein by either the individual movement of guide elements 21 in respect to guide bar 10, or by the combined movements of elements 21 and of guide bar It yarn is caused to follow a course substantially transversely or obliquely to the direction of progress of the ground stitch fabric being knitted.

Therefore, while specific illustrations of the means for positioning mobile guide elements in holders secured to a guide bar are disclosed and described, any other suitable structure which will effect the positioning of mobile guide elements in respect to a supporting guide bar can be employed, without departing from the broad scope of the present invention of providing in present-day knitting machines guide bars with mobile guide elements for producing ornamental stitching in uniformly knitted fabrics, in accordance with the present method and the means for effecting that method, as defined in the annexed claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a knitting machine, a needle bar having upwardly projecting needles, a guide bar cooperating therewith and having downwardly projecting thread-guide elements, at least one mobile thread-guide element mounted on said guide bar and movable relative thereto in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said guide bar, and means effective during the knitting operation for moving said mobile thread-guide element to alter its position.

2. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, said means comprising a rail mounted on the guide bar, a block member carrying said thread-guide element and engaging said rail, and means for moving said block memher along said rail.

3. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, said means comprising a rail mounted on the guide bar, a block member carrying said thread-guide element and engaging said rail, and means for moving said block member along said rail, said last-named means comprising a movable wedge element provided with a cam face in engagement with said block member, and means for moving said wedge element.

4. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, said means comprising a rail mounted on the guide bar, a block member carrying said threadguide element and engaging said rail, and means for moving said block member along said rail, said last-named means comprising a movable wedge element provided With a cam face in engagement with said block member, and electromagnetic means for moving said wedge element.

5. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, said means comprising a rail mounted on the guide bar, a block member carrying said thread-guide element and engaging said rail, and means for moving said block member along said rail, said last-named means comprising a movable Wedge element provided with a cam face in engagement with said block member, a spring constantly urging said Wedge element in one direction, and means for moving said wedge element in the opposite direction against the urgence of said spring.

6. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, said means comprising a rail mounted on the guide bar, a block member carrying said thread-guide element and engaging said rail, and means for moving said block member along said rail, said last-named means comprising a movable wedge element provided with a cam face in engagement with said block member, a spring constantly urging said wedge element in one direction, and a cord for pulling said wedge element in the opposite direction against the urgence of said spring.

7. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, said means comprising a rail mounted on the guide bar, a block member carrying said thread-guide element and engaging said rail, and means for moving said block member along said rail, said last-named means comprising a movable wedge element provided with a cam face in engagement with said block member, a spring constantly urging said wedge element in one direction, and an electromagnetic means for moving said wedge element in the opposite direction against the urgence of said spring.

8. The combination of elements defined in claim 1, said means comprising a rail mounted on the guide bar, a block member carrying said thread-guide element and engaging said rail, a spring engaging said block member and constantly urging it in one direction along said rail, a movable wedge element provided with a cam face in engagement with said block member for moving the latter along said rail in opposition to the spring, and means for moving said wedge element.

9. In a knitting machine, a needle bar having upwardly projecting needles, a guide-bar cooperating therewith and having downwardly projecting thread-guide elements, pattern-control means effective during the knitting operation to shift the guide bar longitudinally, at least one mobile thread-guide element mounted on said guide bar and movable relative thereto in said longitudinal direction, and other pattern-control means effective during the knitting operation to shift said thread-guide element relative to said guide bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,937,515 Elia et a1. May 24, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 210,353 Australia Feb. 7, 1957 609,463 Germany Feb. 15, 1935 614,209 Germany June 4, 1935 898,944 Germany Dec. 7, 1953 216,878 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1925 

1. IN A KNITTING MACHINE, A NEEDLE BAR HAVING UPWARDLY PROJECTING NEEDLES, A GUIDE BAR COOPERATING THEREWITH AND HAVING DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING THREAD-GUIDE ELEMENTS, AT LEAST ONE MOBILE THREAD-GUIDE ELEMENT MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE BAR AND MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID GUIDE BAR, AND MEANS EFFECTIVE DURING THE KNITTING OPERATION FOR MOVING SAID MOBILE THREAD-GUIDE ELEMENT TO ALTER ITS POSITION. 